Folding box and handle therefor



Oc 0 Y A. WHITTAKER 2 FOLDING BOX AND HANDLE THEREFOR Filed 001;. 8, 1946 Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BOX AND HANDLE THEREFOR Alvin Whittaker, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application October 8, 1946, Serial No. 701,940

1 Claim.

My invention relates to folding boxes and more specifically to a folding one-piece suitbox, which has incorporated therein a handle.

An object of my invention is to provide a onepiece suitbox with a handle, which not only provides a means for carrying the box, but maintains the same in a closed and locked position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a handle on a, suitbox, which will automatically lock the box closed and, at the same time, spring up to where a user can get a grip on same.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the followin description of the preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the preferred form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a partial cross-section, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view, showing the box just before closing;

Figure 4 is a top plan view, showing a modification of my invention in the closed and locked position.

A folding box constructed in the preferred form of my invention has a top I and a bottom 2, hinged together at 3 and folded to make sides 4 and fronts 5 and 6. The forming of the box proper is old and well known in the art and is preferably of the lock corner type, as shown in Figure 1, by the lock corners I.

Substantially at the center of the front 6 are punched creases 8, which are spaced apart to act as a guide to position a wire handle I4. The wire handle I4 comprises a hook member III, which fits in the creases 8. The extensions I I run from the creases 8 to the bottom of the box 2 and are bent at I2 to form another extension I3. The extensions l l and I3 are squeezed together around the bend I2 to form a spring clasp against opposite sides of the front 6. The arm I3 only extends to substantially the middle of the front 6, where it is bent outwardly to form the handle I4.

The front 5 is cut during the stamping out of the box proper to form a slot I6. This slot is merely a knife cut and is slightly longer than the width of the handle I4. The slot I6 is spaced on the front 5, so that when the handle is positioned in the notches 8, it will pass through the slot I6. A flap I1 is formed by making end cuts I8, ex tending into the cut l6, while the ends I9 of these cuts I8 are joined together by a crease 20 pressed into the outer surface of the front 5 to form a flap II. By so constructing the cut I 6 and. the flap I! when the box is closed, the handle I4 will cause the front 6 to bend downwardly when the handle strikes the edge 2| of the front 5. This will permit the handle I4 to slide thereunder until the handle strikes the flap H, which 2 then bends outwardly until the handle I4 snaps through the cut I6.

It is well known in the folding box industry that any cutouts which have to be punched out or stripped increase the cost of manufacturing. As will be noted in the above description, there are no strippings necessary, as the cut I6 is merely sliced through and no material removed.

While the creases 8 are not entirely necessary they are desirable as they are spaced to center the handle 14 on the slot I6. The usual practise in the folding box industry is to deliver the boxes fiat and handles separately and the user folds and attaches the handle. By providing the notches 8, the user readily attaches the handle without measuring.

I have sometimes found it necessary, with heavier material boxes, to provide a crease 22, which parallels the cut I6, to give a slight spring to the edge of the cut I6 opposite the flap IT, to permit the handle to more readily pass through the cut l6.

In Figure 4 is shown a modification of my invention, which has the same type box and wire handle attached thereto, but in this form of the invention a slot 23 is slightly longer in lengththan the handle I4 and is about twice the Width of the handle I4. This type of construction, however, requires that the slot 23 be stripped.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of my invention, I am not limited to any of the details herein set forth, except as described in the appended claim.

I claim:

In an article of the class described, a one-piece lock corner box having fronts, a handle attached to one front by spring clips, said handle being positioned substantially at the center of said front, a slit cut in the other of said fronts at a point where said handle will pass therethrough and hold said box closed, end cuts extending away from said slit to form a flap adjacent to said slit and a crease connecting the endsof said end cuts to form an easily bent flap to permit said handle to pass through said slit.

ALVIN WHITTAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

